From: John Henderson <jh982@hotmail.com>
To: "alpine-user@lists.alpinelinux.org" <alpine-user@lists.alpinelinux.org>
Subject: [alpine-user] Unable to access serial console during initial installation
Thread-Topic: Unable to access serial console during initial installation
Thread-Index: AQHSI3qE2sGe9ggd4UWfTNxQLMRoYg==
Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2016 05:11:36 +0000
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X-OriginalArrivalTime: 11 Oct 2016 05:11:37.0517 (UTC) FILETIME=[F167EDD0:01D2237D]

Hi,

I'm trying to install Alpine Linux 3.4.4 (via extended 64-bit ISO) on a Net=
gate RCC-VE 2440 system (specialized Intel Rangeley-based SOHO router-type =
hardware; if interested, see: http://store.netgate.com/ADI/RCC-VE-2440.aspx=
 ).

I'm unable to proceed since I can't get the installation to come up on the =
serial console.  This particular hardware has no video access, and no expan=
sion capabilities to (even temporarily) enable it.  I can't even swap HDDs/=
SSDs or the like (if I wanted to go down that road), since I'm actually ins=
talling Alpine to the eMMC flash soldered on-board the Netgate...

For context, I followed the instructions at:

  http://wiki.alpinelinux.org/wiki/Enable_Serial_Console_on_Boot

Namely, I modified the syslinux configuration file ('/boot/syslinux/syslinu=
x.cfg') on the default install media, as follows:

  *** syslinux.cfg.orig			       2016-09-28 11:43:51.000000000 -0500
  --- syslinux.cfg			       2016-10-08 15:44:03.581309751 -0500
  ***************
  *** 1,7 ****
   =20
    timeout 20
    prompt 1
    default grsec
    label grsec
    	kernel /boot/vmlinuz-grsec
  ! 	append initrd=3D/boot/initramfs-grsec modloop=3D/boot/modloop-grsec mo=
dules=3Dloop,squashfs,sd-mod,usb-storage quiet=20
  --- 1,8 ----
   =20
  + serial 0 115200
    timeout 20
    prompt 1
    default grsec
    label grsec
    	kernel /boot/vmlinuz-grsec
  ! 	append initrd=3D/boot/initramfs-grsec modloop=3D/boot/modloop-grsec mo=
dules=3Dloop,squashfs,sd-mod,usb-storage console=3DttyS0,115200

With this modification, I'm able to boot the install DVD over serial consol=
e, get past the BIOS, choose my boot device, and view two kernel messages a=
fter Alpine Linux starts to boot --- right up to the point where the initra=
mfs takes over.  After that, I can't get anything on the console, try as I =
might (I don't get gibberish, which might reflect mismatched tty parameters=
 --- I just don't get anything at all).  Now, my understanding is that the =
initramfs is supposed to "inherit" the proper kernel boot command-line para=
meters (and therefore continue with a properly configured serial console). =
 However, that doesn't seem to be happening in this case.

Looking around the Alpine Linux code, I thought I might have found a releva=
nt bug in the '/init' script within the initramfs on the install media, as =
the optional getty invocation (tied to serial console access) actually reve=
rses the order of its arguments.  Here's my patch for that (note the exchan=
ge of the '$speed' and '$tty' environmental variables):

  *** init.orig	   2016-10-08 17:25:30.853250350 -0500
  --- init	   2016-10-10 10:02:58.629366556 -0500
  ***************
  *** 130,136 ****
    		if ! grep -q "^$tty:" $sysroot/etc/inittab; then
    			echo "# enable login on alternative console" \
    				>> $sysroot/etc/inittab
  ! 			echo "$tty::respawn:/sbin/getty $line $speed $tty $term" \
    				>> $sysroot/etc/inittab
    		fi
    		if [ -e "$sysroot"/etc/securetty ] && ! grep -q -w "$tty" "$sysroot"/=
etc/securetty; then
  --- 130,136 ----
    		if ! grep -q "^$tty:" $sysroot/etc/inittab; then
    			echo "# enable login on alternative console" \
    				>> $sysroot/etc/inittab
  ! 			echo "$tty::respawn:/sbin/getty $line $tty $speed $term" \
    				>> $sysroot/etc/inittab
    		fi
    		if [ -e "$sysroot"/etc/securetty ] && ! grep -q -w "$tty" "$sysroot"/=
etc/securetty; then


Unfortunately, even after fixing this (presumptive?) bug, I still can't get=
 any serial communication after initramfs on boot.

Any ideas, please?

[BTW, I tried to subscribe to the alpine-user mailing-list (prior to submit=
ting this), but my secondary confirmation of list subscription kept on bein=
g rejected (not sure why).]

Thanks,
John


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